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28/05/2008 13:32BBC - Radio 3 - Opera On 3 - Complete Performance

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John Tomlinson as The Minotaur Photo:Bill Cooper

Opera On 3

Birtwistle's The Minotaur

Complete Performance

Saturday 31 May 2008 18:30-21:15 (Radio3)

In a performance given at the RoyalOpera House, Covent Garden, inApril, Antonio PappanoconductsJohn Tomlinsonin the title role,with Christine Riceas Ariadne inthe world premiere of HarrisonBirtwistle's latest opera, based on

the classic Greek myth.

Hidden away deep in the labyrinthin Crete is a man with a bull's head- The Minotaur. He feeds on youngmen and women sent as tributefrom Athens. One day the heroTheseus arrives among theseinnocents and with the help of Ariadne and her thread, he ventures intothe labyrinth intending to kill the beast.

Presented by Ivan Hewett.

Duration:2 hours 45 minutes

CAST & SYNOPSIS

Ariadne: Christine Rice (Mezzo-soprano)The Minotaur: John Tomlinson (Bass)Theseus: Johan Reuter (Baritone)First Innocent: Rebecca Bottone (Soprano)Second Innocent: Pumeza Matshikiza (Soprano)Third Innocent: Wendy Dawn Thompson (Mezzo-soprano)Fourth Innocent Christopher Ainslie (Counter-tenor)Fifth Innocent: Tim Mead (Counter-tenor)Ker: Amanda Echalaz (Soprano)Snake Princess: Andrew Watts (Counter-tenor)Hiereus: Philip Langridge (Tenor)Antonio Pappano ( Conductor )

The Royal Opera ChorusThe Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

The Minotaur was the mythical beast imprisoned in the Labyrinth on theisland of Crete. Half-man and half-bull, he was the offspring of Pasiphae,wife to King Minos, and the result of her unnatural lust for the bull fromthe sea, sent by the god Poseidon at the request of Minos. As an act ofrevenge for the death of Minos' son at the hands of the Athenians, Minoshas ruled that, once a year, Athens must send a group of young men andwomen for sacrifice to the Minotaur. Theseus - putative son of Aegeus,king of Athens, although he may in fact be the son of Poseidon -determines to go to Crete with the sacrificial youths in order to slay theMinotaur and end the blood sacrifice.

Scene 1. Arrival

A ship with black sails appears on the horizon sailing towards Crete,carrying the Innocents who will undergo the blood sacrifice. Ariadne,daughter of Minos and Pasiphae, watches its arrival as the dawn rises.She greets the Innocents. Theseus, who is among them, immediately

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Birtwistle's The Minotaur

31 May 2008 Royal OperaHouse

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attracts her attention. He describes his mission to confront the Minotaur:'My death, or the Minotaur's, or both.'

Toccata 1

Scene 2. The ChoiceAriadne is desperate to escape from the island - the prison of her legacy -and sees in Theseus the possibility of escape. He tells her of his choice tocome with Innocents and of their heart-rending departure from Greeceand their mourning mothers. Ariadne attemptsto turn Theseus' fate into a game of chance: will he choose the hand that

conceals a stone and go into the labyrinth to face the Minotaur, or choosethe empty one and become a helpless bystander as the Innocentsdescend to face death? Ariadne cheats so that Theseus chooses theempty hand. Through all this they remain suspicious of each other'smotives. The Innocents prepare to enter the labyrinth.

Scene 3. The LabyrinthThe young men and women journey deep into the labyrinth.

Scene 4. AriadneAriadne recounts the story of her mother's union with a white bull fromthe sea (either sent by Poseidon or the shape-shifted sea-god himself)and of the birth of her half-brother, Asterios, part-man and part-bull. TheInnocents have now reached the centre of the labyrinth.

Scene 5. The LabyrinthThe crowd taunt the Minotaur for hismonstrous appearance and inability to speak. His first victim, a youngwoman, appears.The Minotaur turns on the young woman,goring and raping her. Keres, female death-spirits in the form of harpies,tear the heart from the Minotaur's victim and feed on the dead body.

Toccata 2

Scene 6. The Minotaur DreamsIn sleep the Minotaur is endowed with language. At night and in adialogue with his own reflection, he ponders his imprisonment in thelabyrinth, a world he seems to remember beyond it, and his bloody and

violent purpose. An image of Ariadne begins to recount the story of theMinotaur's birth, but is interrupted by the disturbing intrusion of ashadowy and threatening figure: it is Theseus, although the Minotaur doesnot yet realize it.

Scene 7. The LabyrinthThe Innocents are trapped in the centre of the labyrinth. The crowd urgesthe Minotaur to awaken. The Minotaur advances on the Innocents urgedon by the crowd's taunts, and attacks. A massacre ensues, at the end ofwhich the Minotaur has killed or mortally maimed all of the Innocents.The Keres descend to rip apart the bodies - some still alive - and feast onthem.

Scene 8. A PropositionTheseus is determined to face the Minotaur. When Ariadne tries todissuade him he reveals that that he might be the son of Poseidon (as

might be the Minotaur). Theseus explains that, if his ship is rigged with ablack sail when he returns to Greece, this will tell Aegeus that his missionhas failed; a white sail will confirm success. Ariadne attempts to persuadeTheseus to take her with him back to Athens as his wife but he refusesand repels her seductive advances.

Toccata 3

Scene 9. The Minotaur DreamsFaced again with his own reflection, the Minotaur expresses his despair -neither beast nor man, confined by a world of walls and shadows. Oncemore Ariadne appears in his dream and he wonders if she might be hiskey to the outside world; then the shadowy image of Theseus againintrudes.

Scene 10. The Oracle at Psychro

Ariadne consults the Oracle in the hope of finding a way to ensure that, ifTheseusis successful in his fight with the Minotaur, he will be able to find his way

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PRINTABLE VERSION

back out of the Labyrinth. She believes that, by acquiring this knowledge,she will possess the bargaining power she needs to force him to take herto Athens. The Snake Priestess speaking through the medium of a priest,or Hiereus, tells Ariadne to give Theseus a ball of twine that he canunwind as he goes through the Labyrinth then follow back to safety. Inanswer to her insistent questioning, the Oracle also confirms to Ariadnethat she and Theseus will set sail for Athens together. This prophecy,while accurate, hints at Ariadne's downfall.

Scene 11. A Blind BargainArmed with what seems an oracular prophecy, Ariadne asserts that she

will return to Athens with Theseus. She uses the advantage gained fromthe Oracle to make him seem to agree, though his words, like those ofthe Oracle, are ambiguous. Theseus goes to confrontthe Minotaur

Scene 12. The LabyrinthTheseus journeys to the centre of the labyrinth where he finds theMinotaur. The pair fight savagely. Theseus manages to wound theMinotaur severely and is about to deliver a fatal blow, but hesitates asthe Minotaur acquires the power of human language. This hesitation isfleeting though. Theseus runs the man-beast through with his sword andleaves him for dead. Theseus then starts back through the labyrinth,intending to find Ariadne and set sail for Athens.

Scene 13. Death of the MinotaurAs his life ebbs away the Minotaur finds the voice to express theemptiness of his existence and the painful curse of his parentage. In afinal effort he pulls out the bloodied sword and proclaims he is the son ofthe god Poseidon. The Chorus leave the labyrinth as the Minotaur dies. AKer enters to feast on his body.

The Royal Opera House

View a photo gallery of the Royal Opera House production

CAST

Ariadne: Christine Rice (Mezzo-soprano)The Minotaur: John Tomlinson (Bass)Theseus: Johan Reuter (Baritone)First Innocent: Rebecca Bottone (Soprano)

Second Innocent: Pumeza Matshikiza (Soprano)Third Innocent: Wendy Dawn Thompson (Mezzo-soprano)Fourth Innocent Christopher Ainslie (Counter-tenor)Fifth Innocent: Tim Mead (Counter-tenor)Ker: Amanda Echalaz (Soprano)Snake Princess: Andrew Watts (Counter-tenor)Hiereus: Philip Langridge (Tenor)Antonio Pappano ( Conductor )The Royal Opera ChorusThe Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

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